Impulse distributor



'June 4, "1946."

E. A. FORD IMPULSE DISTRIBUTOR Original Filed April l5, 1942 2 sheetssheet 1 June 4, 1946. E. A FRD 2,401,419

I IMPULSE DISTRIBUTOR Original Filed April l5, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG, v 0 I /ya 'ATTORNEY l"atented June 4, 1946 UNITED s'm'ri;

IMPULSE DISTRIBUTOR Eugene Ford,

ternational Business Scarsdale, N.

Machines Y., assigner to In- Corporation,

New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Original application April' 15, 1942, Serial No.

439,016. Divided and this application May 18, 1943, Serial No. 487,445

1 claim. (ci. 20o-2s) This invention relates to impulse distributors.

One object ofthe invention is to provide an impulse distributor capable of reliable operation at high speed.

Another object is to provide an impulse distributor having a construction which facilitates assembly and repair,

Another object is to provide an impulse distributor which can be accurately timed, both as to the start and stop time in the cycle, and the length of the impulse.

Other objects of the invention will be pointed out in the following description and claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which disclose, by way of example, the principle of the invention and' the best mode, which has been contemplated of applying that principle.

The present application is a division of my copending application Serial No. 439,016, filed April 15, 194:2, for a Distributor system.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view, distributor.

Fig. 2 is a. partial sectional view on an enlarged scale, illustrating the mounting of the contact inserts in the disks.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view, taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1, and illustrating the coaction between a brush contact and a distributor contact insert.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1, and illustrating the construction and assembly of the pair of disks comprising the novel distributor.

Fig. 5 is a timing diagram 'of the pair of distributor disks.

Fig. 6 is a simplified circuit diagram illustrating an application of the distributor.

Referring to thev drawings and more particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 4, the distributor comprises a pair of steel disks Iii and II, mounted on a vertical shaft I2 for rotation thereby. A gear I3 (Fig. 4) is keyed to the shaft I2 and is maintained in position, axially of shaft I2, by projections I3a on the gear interengaging with a slot in the shaft and by a nut I4 threaded to shaft I2. The gear I3 may be driven by any desired means. The end i2a of shaft I2 has its center bored as indicated in Fig. 4, and is split by the slot i217 so as to propartly in section, of the vide a slightly tapered, compressible and expany sible end. Mounted on the tapered'end I2a is' a laminated Bakelite insulating sleeve l5 having a projecting lip portion ISa interengaging with a groove I2c formed circumferentially of shaft I2. A screw I6 is inserted in the axial bore of shaft I2, which bore is provided with a threaded porprovided with a pin tion I2d to receive the screw. As the latter is screwed into position, the portion I2a of the shaft is expanded to hold the insulation sleeve I5 firmly in place on the shaft I2.

A split steel washer I1 is mounted on the sleeve I5, as shown in Fig. 4, and the disk II is mounted on bushing II and firmly attached thereto .by means of set screws I8 (Figs. l and 4) inserted into tapped holes lia extending radially of the disk. By loosening the set screws I8, the disk II can be rotatably adjusted with respect to shaft I2, for purposes as described presently. Also mounted on the sleeve I5, but separated vertically from the bushing I1, is another split steel bushing I'Ia, upon which the disk I0 is mounted and secured by set screws i8. A brass ring I9 Illa rests freely on the disk I0. A beryllium copper strip ZIJ (Figs. 1 and 4) constitutes a brush for conducting electrical energy to the disk I0. The brush comprises a pair of curved fingers sitting on the top of the brass ring I9, and a notch 20a cut in the main portion of the brush embraces the pin I9a, to hold the ring against rotation as the disk I0 rotates. During such rotation of the disk I0, the ring I9 floats upon this disk and serves as a sliding contact to conduct electricity to the distributor disk lil. Brush 20 is mounted in any desired manner to the frame of the distributor and a conductor 2| supplies current to the brush 20.

A series of slots 22 (Figs, 1 and 2) are cut in the periphery of each of the disks Iii and II. In each slot is mounted a contact insert 23 provided with a groove 23a (Fig. 2) extending for a portion of the length of the insert. A tapped opening 24 is provided in the disks, adjacent each slot, and a screw 25 is threaded into the tapped opening until its head abuts the bottom of the slot 23a, to rmly hold the contact insert in place. The inserts can be easily removed by unscrewing the associated screw 25. Each contact insert comprises a steel portion, cut away adjacent its outer end, into which cutaway section is welded a piece of tungsten, to thereby provide for both better wear and better electrical contact with the cooperating brush.

A cooperating brush 26 is provided for each of the disks IIJ and II. Each brush (Fig. 1) com prises a steel rectangular contact carrier 21, both carriers being mounted for angular adjustment about a pivot 2B carried by the insulation mounting block 29, attached in any desired manner to the distributor frame. Current is supplied to each contact carrier 21 by means ofa conductor 30 held in place by a terminal screw 3| connected to the carrier 21'. A lock screw 32 `is provided to hold the carrier 21 in an adjusted angular position. An adjusting screw 33 is provided for each carrier, which. when the lock screw 32 is loosened, can be screwed into and out oi the carrier 21 to thereby rock the carrier about its pivot 23 to `adjust the position of the respective carrier, which is thereupon locked in position by the lock screw 32. A generally U-shaped contact 34 of small mass is pivotally mounted on a pivot member 34a carried by the reduced i'ree end 21a of carrier 21. A leaf springcomprising a long hat spring 35 and a short flat spring 36 is held by a screw 31 to the carrier 21, in position for the long spring to engage a projecting end 34b of contact 34, to bias the oppositely projecting end 34e towards the contact inserts 23 of the related disk. A contact stop 34d is riveted to the free end of carrier 21 and limits the rotative movement of the contact 34 towards its cooperating disk. By loosening the lock screw 32 and adjusting the screw 33, as previously described, the angular position o1' carrier 21 is adjusted to thereby produce a very accurate adjustment lbetween the contact 34 and its cooperating contact inserts 23'. Each contact 34, for the respective disks i and Ii. can be independently adjusted.

The operation and adjustment of the distributor will be explained by reference to Figs. and 6. A contact 23 on the upper disk Ill engages a brush 34 at the time a in Fig. 5, completing a circuit from the positive line through an electromagnet 38, wire 2|, brush 2D, ring i9, disk l0, contacts 23 and 34, and wire 35 to the negative line. energizing the magnet 38. At the time b, `contact 23 on the disk il engages the brush 34, preparing a parallel circuit from the magnet 33 to the negative line through the brush I is, disk il, contacts'23 and 34. wire 31, condenser 43 and resistance 44 in parallel, and Wire 40. The potential on both plates of the condenser being substantially the same, because the resistance of the branch through disk i0 is negligible, the condenser remains uncharged. At the time c, the ilrst circuit is broken by disengagement of the contact 23 on the disk Ill from its brush 34. The condenser 43 immediately begins to charge and builds up to a potential close to the potential diil'erence between the positive and negative lines,

while the current through the electromagnet diminishes to a low Point. VAt d, the contacts 23 and 34 of the disk Il break. 'I'he timing, determined by the values of the condenser. 43 and the screw 33, on releasing the lock screw 32, to

change the length of time during which the con tact is made between the elements 23 and 34. Due to the sloping end of the contact inserts 23. outward movement of the contact holder 21 will reduce the time oi' engagement. The distributor therefore has completed ilexibility oi adjustment of all time factors.

While there have been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a preferred embodiment, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutionsand changes in the form and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is the intention, therefore. to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the iol lowing claim.

What is claimed is: i

An electrical circuit breaker comprising a single electrical contact element of small mass, and one or more cam contact elements movable in a prescribed path. so as to make and break contact with said single contact element, a supporting arm on which said single contact element is pivotally mounted on a pivot close to the path o! said cam contact elements, a spring tending to rotate said single contact element on its pivot toward the path of said cam contact elements, a stop on said supporting arm limiting the rotary movement of said single contact element by said spring, a frame member, and adjustable means mounting said supporting arm to said frame member whereby the angular position of said supporting arm can be adjusted to alter the proximity of said single contact element to the path of said cam contact elements, the contact surfaces of said cam contact elements being inclined to their path of movement so that adjustment of said supporting arm changes the time oi contact.

EUGENE A. FORD. 

